# Native, Pollinator & Rain Gardens

> Lawn turned into native and pollinator plantings, and rain gardens that soak up runoff: lower upkeep, habitat and stormwater handled on site.

**Summary:** Lawn turned into native and pollinator plantings, and rain gardens that soak up runoff: lower upkeep, habitat and stormwater handled on site.

![Black-eyed Susans, coneflowers and pink petunias in a sunny pollinator garden](https://healingearthdesignbysarah.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6NDE1LCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--5a19257d932ada452faff3fb5d75759246237762/IMG_0591.webp)

**What's included:** - Lawn-to-native conversion plans
- Pollinator plantings for bees, butterflies and birds
- Rain gardens sized for the roof or lot that drains to them
- Native plants suited to Southwest Michigan soils
- Clean edges and layouts that look intentional, not overgrown
- Establishment care through the first seasons

**Ideal for:** - Office and corporate campuses
- Schools, churches and nonprofits
- Townships and parks
- Properties with wet spots or runoff

- Read the site — We look at soil, sun and where water goes when it rains.
- Design — A native planting plan or rain garden design sized for your site, with a plant list and quantities.
- Plant and establish — Our team plants, then cares for it through the first seasons while the roots go deep.

**Planner choice:** interest_native_rain_gardens

- How much can a native planting save over lawn? — One study of native landscaping put the savings at $3,950–$4,683 per acre a year over ten years, from less mowing, watering and fertilizer. Savings start small while plants establish and grow from about the third year.
- Will it look messy? — Not when it's designed. We use mown edges, clear borders and plants in groups so a native planting reads as a garden.
- Do rain gardens work in clay soil? — Yes. In a USGS study in Madison, Wisconsin, a prairie-planted rain garden in clay held every event over four years, and soaked water in about three times faster than one planted with turf.

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Source: https://healingearthdesignbysarah.com/commercial/native-pollinator-rain-gardens
Updated: 2026-10-12